Concrete finishing float



March 24, 1931. B R $M|TH CONCRETE FINISHING FLOAT Filed Aug. 15, 1929gmewto'b B. B- 3772 i it Patented Mar. 24, 1931 orator:-

BYRON SMITH, OF HOBART, INDIANA CONCRETE FINISHING FLOAT Applicationfiled August 13, 1829. Serial No. 385,637.

This invention relates to floats for finishingthe surface of concrete orfor use under like circumstances and particularly to a float having arelatively large area and to be used for relatively large work.

The general object of the invention is to provide a float of thischaracter which is light, simple in construction, which is rigid andwhich provides for an improved manner of attaching a handle to thefloat.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein 1Figure 1 is a side elevation of a concrete float constructed inaccordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross section thereof.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a board which constitutes thebottom of the float which may have any desired dimensions. Thus forinstance, the board may have a width of approximately six inches or moreand a length of ten feet or more. It will be understood, however, thatthe dimensions of this board may be varied witl in very wide limits andthat the above dimensions are merely given for illustration.

Attached to the board is a triangular meta-l body 1 designated generally11 preferably formed of a single sheet of metal bent so as" to form abody which is triangular in cross section. To this end, one margin ofthe sheet is formed with the vertical flange 12.

The sheet is then bent downward and outward at 13 and then folded uponitself to form a double ply flange 15, then extended alon the face ofthe board as at 16 and then again folded to form a double ply flange 17and then extended upward as at 18 and the margin of the metal is bentover the flange 12 as at 19. The two plies of material will be held by abolt 20. I do not wish to be limited to making this triangular body ofone sheet of metal as it may be made of a plurality each other bybolting, soldering or riveting.

Screws spaced relatively short distances apart and designated 21 aredisposed at intervals of sheets of metal engaged with.

through the flanges l5 and 17 and extend into the fiat board 10.

Disposed at the middle of the body 11 and projecting laterally therefromis the triangular portion of sheet metal designated gen- 5 erally '22.This is preferably formed of a sheet of metal bent at its upper edge toprovide a portion 23extending parallel to the edge of the'flange 12 andhaving a flange 241 resting against the folded metal 19 and boltedthereto by the bolt 20. The sides or wings of this member 22 extend.downward and outward in divergent relation as shown in Figure 1 and atthe lower edge are provided with a flange 25 through which screws 21 onthat side may pass. Thus the bolt 20 and the screws 21 hold thispyramidal body 22 in place against the triangular body 11 and rigidtherewith.

It will be seen that the body 22 is approximately pyramidal in form,though not an equi-lateral pyramid. At the apex of the pyramidal body,there is a projecting socket 26 into which awooden handle may beinserted. It will be understood that the triangular body 11 is closed atits ends by metallic end pieces 27 which may be riveted to the sidewalls of the body 11.

In finishing concrete with a wooden float board, the face of the boardthat .is in contact with the wet concrete has a tendency to swell andthus the board turns up at the ends or. twists and warps. A. float boardin this condition ,is, no'longer useful, as it must be straight and freefrom warps in order to prevent irregularities in the surface finished.To this end, I fasten the float board 10 to the metal top at closeintervals for practically the entire length of the board.

The metal top is hollow because the float, mustnot be too heavy oritwill-tend to pull the wet'concrete out of position when drawn over thesurface finished. It must be light enough for a: workman to be able tohandle with compar'ativeease both during the fin' e5 ishing operationand moving it about the work. The triangular cross section is used inthe body 11 because this secures rigidity against bending strainsinall'directions and is" particularly rigid against any twisting movementswhich it must stand in order to prevent the board from warping ortwisting.

The flange at the top is made of three plies in order to prevent anydirt or cement from passing through the crack which would be left if itwere not made as shown. This extra ply of metal gives it more strengthat the top which is very desirable.

The plates 2'? at the ends of the triangular portion are used to keepout cement and dirt which if allowed to enter would increase the weight.The end plates also add to the rigidity at the end, thereby allowing thetapering of the ends of the metal top. This reduces the weight,eliminates an undesirable sharp. corner and increases the efliciency andsafety of the float.

The hollow pyramidal member 22 is used because it distributes thestresses over a longer portion of the float and holds the handle rigidrelative to the float. The pyramidal member may vary considerably indimensions, but the center line of the handle would be well above thecenter of gravity of the float body and placed at an angle a littleabove horizontal as this facilitates the operation of the float.

The advantage of this type of float over the ordinary type is that itcan be used two v or three construction seasons with no care except thechanging of float boards when they are worn out, while an ordinary floatdoes well to stay in useful shape a week and more often they have to betrued several times a day unless they are constructed very heavy. v

I claim 1. A concrete float comprising a float board, a hollow body ofsheet metal attached to said board and triangular in cross section, and.a pyramidal member of sheet metal attached to tne body adjacent itsmiddle and projecting laterally therefrom and having a handle socket atits outer end.

2. A concrete float comprising a float board, an elongated sheet metalbody having basal flanges resting against the float board and having aflange extending along the upper corner of the body, attaching devicespassing through said basal flanges, a substantially pyramidal sheetmetal member having flanges engaging against one of the basal flangesand against the upper flange of the body by said attaching devices, theouter end of the pyramidal portion having a handle socket.

3. A. float for concrete comprising a float board, a hollow body of thinsheet metal attached at intervals to the margin of the board around thewhole extent-of the margin and extending upward from the float board,and a handle socket supported from said body approximately at its middleand extending outward from one side of the body.

4. A concrete float comprising a float board, a hollow body of sheetmetal triangular in cross section, the body having the same form in planas the plan of the board and being attached to the board at shortintervals around its entire perimeter, and a handle socket operativelysupported upon said body adjacent its middle and extending laterallyfrom said body.

A concrete float comprising a float signature.

BYRON B. SMITH.

